Wall bracket cover

ABSTRACT

A WALL BRACKET COVER HAS BEEN PROVIDED WHICH CAN BE EASILY ASSEMBLED OVER AN EXISTING WALL BRACKET SUPPORTING A SHELF AND FASTENED BY VARIOUS DEVICES HAVING SNAP ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BRACKET OR BY GROOVES ENGAGING FLANGES OF THE BRACKET COVERS WITH THE UNDER SURFACES OF THE SHELF AND WALL SURFACE OR BY ADHESIVE MEANS MADE AVAILABLE BY REMOVAL OF ADHESIVE COVER STRIP FROM HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL RUN SURFACES OF THE BRACKET COVER. THIS BRACKET COVER ITSELF IS PREFERABLY FORMED OF MOLDED PLASTICS OR METAL AND MAY BE FORMED OF WOOD CHIPS, PAPIER MACHE OR ANY OTHER SUITABLE MATERIAL WITH THE ATTACHED DEVICE EMBEDDED IN THE MATERIAL AND PROJECTED INTO THE BRACKET RECEIVING OPENING OF THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL FACES OF THE BRACKET.

Sept. 20, 1971 J. B. WALL WALL BRACKET COVER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 7, 1969 JAMES D. WALL WQ W ATTORNEYS Sept. 20, 1971 Filed July '7, 1969 In n4 n5 n2 |25|27 J. B. WALL 3,606,229

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INVI'JN'I'UH JAMES D. WALL jfi h/ QuMy 3.2g. 4...

A 'r'romwvs United States Patent 3,606,229 WALL BRACKET COVER James D. Wall, 18 Boxwood Drive, Kings Park, N.Y. 11754 Filed July 7, 1969, Ser. No. 839,609 Int. Cl. A47f /08 U.S. Cl. 248345 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wall bracket cover has been provided which can be easily assembled over an existing wall bracket Supporting a shelf and fastened by various devices having snap engagement with the bracket or by grooves engaging flanges of the bracket covers with the under surfaces of the shelf and Wall surface or by adhesive means made available by removal of adhesive cover strip from horizontal and vertical run surfaces of the bracket cover. This bracket cover itself is preferably formed of molded plastics or metal and may be formed of wood chips, papier mache or any other suitable material with the attached device embedded in the material and projected into the bracket receiving opening of the horizontal and vertical faces of the bracket.

This invention relates to wall bracket covers.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a wall bracket cover adapted to cover the wall bracket to achieve a decorative effect of the wall bracket such as simulating wood, stone, metal or any other material in any one of varying designs to match the different architectural or decorative decor of the room or household where being used.

It is another object of the invention to provide a wall bracket cover that'has built in means adapted for the securement of the wall bracket cover in place over the wall bracket and adhered or secured by this means to the wall, the underside of the shelf, or even to the bracket.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a wall bracket cover made of plastic or lightweight material, such as polystyrene, polyurethane, or other like soft material with or without hard decorative surface and so constructed that it can be snapped into place upon the existing bracket desired to be covered.

It is a further object of the invention to provide wall bracket covers made of separable parts adapted to be coupled together from opposite sides of the bracket and connected to the bracket upon the parts being joined to support the bracket cover upon the bracket.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a wall bracket cover having simple metal attaching parts that can be readily extended over the already secured wall bracket by simple engagement of the attaching part upon the wall cover with the bracket itself.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a wall bracket cover with spring clip devices adapted to engage the wall bracket to hold the cover in place and wherein the cover can be merely snapped into place over the wall bracket.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a wall bracket cover with magnetic means for attachment of the wall bracket cover to the metal bracket in a selfaligning manner.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a wall bracket cover having the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install, adapted for large scale production, consumes little storage space, nonbreaikable, safe and effective in use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference 3,606,229 Patented Sept. 20, 1971 may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a collective perspective view of a wall shelf held in place by two wall brackets, one of the wall brackets being covered and the other bracket not yet covered.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the wall bracket cover that is illustrated as being assembled in FIG. 1 by the use of screws.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of a wall bracket cover adapted to be adhered to the underside of the shelf and wall by tacky adhesive, the cover strip being partially pulled prior to its use.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary collective and rear perspective view of a wall bracket having double clips secured thereon to receive another form of bracket cover.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of one of the double clips.

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view of another form of bracket assembled by magnet means upon a metal wall bracket.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the top magnet part therefor.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the bottom magnet part therefor.

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view of another form of cover employing side clips for engagement with the horizontal portion of the bracket.

FIG. 112 is a collective and perspective view of one of the clips and illustration made as to the manner in which the clip is secured to one inner face of the cover.

FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view of another form of wall bracket cover emplo'ying tension spring means and hook for engagement with the inner corner of the bracket to hold the wall cover in place.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the tension spring and hook means of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the wall cover as shown in FIG. 13 with illustration being made as to the manner of assembling the hook over the bracket corner prior to the spring pulling the cover into place.

FIG. 16 is a collective and perspective view of another form of the invention employing separable parts having means for attachment to the bracket and to themselves.

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view of the assembled cover parts as viewed on line 1717 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a separable cover part where outwardly extended top and inner flanges are provided for the securement of the cover part to the shelf and wall.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a further form of the bracket employing separable parts having a different means for securing the cover parts together and in the form shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 20 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 20-20 of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to FIG. 20 but employing a clip strip for joining the two cover parts together.

FIG. 22 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGS. 20 and 21 according to another form of the invention employing a slightly different arrangement of clip projections for securing the cover parts together.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a bracket shelf with portions of the shelf broken away and of a still further form of bracket cover in which the corners are inwardly bent to engage the inner corner of the bracket.

FIG. 24 is a vertical sectional view of the assembled 2424 of FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a fragmentary view looking upon the inwardly bent corners of the bracket cover of FIG. 23.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a shelf 30 that is normally supported by metal wall brackets 31 connected by screws 32 at different locations on the wall bracket to the underface 33 of the shelf and wall surface 34. A wall bracket cover 35 constructed according to the present invention is secured over one of the brackets 31 by screws 36 entering the under surface 33 of the shelf 30 and the wall surface 34. The bracket 35 conforms generally to the shape of the wall bracket 31 and has an opening 37 running vertically and horizontally to accommodate the bracket 31 and the inclined forward edge 38. At the opposite sides of the opening 37 are flanges 39 and 41 that extend horizontally and vertically therewith and which have screw holes 42 for receiving the screws 36 that secure the bracket cover in place over the bracket. Once the bracket cover is in place the bracket 31 is no longer visible and the unsightly contours of the same are hidden so that the bracket cover 38 can according to its cover assume the decor of the room in which the shelf 30 is employed. The bracket cover 35 can be made of metal, plastic, wood chips or other suitable material and preferably molded in mass to conform in shape as desired.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown a bracket cover 43 that is preferably formed of light weight molded plastic and has an opening 44 running horizontally and vertically to receive the bracket 31. This cover 43 differs from the cover 35 in that the flanges are eliminated and the rounded forward edge 45 is provided instead of the inclined edge 38-. Surrounding the opening 44 there is provided a vertical run 46 and a horizontal run 47 with edges adapted to engage with the wall and shelf surfaces.

This cover 43 being of light weight can be readily secured in place by a removable elongated adhesive cover strip 48 in the manner illustrated in the figures to leave the surfaces 46 and 47 exposed with tacky adhesive 49 that will secure the cover 43 to the wall.

In FIGS. and 6, there is illustrated the shelf 30 that is broken away to show the rear, vertical and top faces of the bracket on which by removal of the bracket 31 on which there is placed thereover double U-shaped clips 51 having inwardly curved opposing biting teeth 52 and 53.

A plastic cover 54 having a bracket receiving opening 55 surrounded by horizontal run edges 56 and vertical run edges 57 adapted to engage the shelf under surface 33 and wall surface 34. The inner parts of the opening 55 are undercut on the opposite sides as indicated at 58 and 59 to respectively receive opposing biting teeth 52 and 53 of the double clips 51 as the bracket cover 54 is forced into place over the bracket 31.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, a plastic bracket cover 60 is provided which is held in place upon the bracket 31 itself by horizontally extending and vertically extending magnetic devices 61 and 6-2 shown in perspective in FIGS. 9 and respectively. The plastic cover 60 has a depressed inner opening 63 that receives the bracket 31 and into which the magnetic devices 61 and 62 extend from their respective ends 64 and 65 anchored in the plastic material of the bracket cover. The magnetic device 61 has a U-shaped magnet 66 which straddles the metal wall bracket 31 for engagement with its opposite flanges thereof. The magnetic device-62 has a simple bar magnet 67 that may engage the flange at one side or the other of the vertical run of the metal bracket 31.

In FIGS. ll and 12, a bracket 70- constructed somewhat similar to the bracket cover of FIG. 5 carries within its bracket cover receiving opening 71 at the opposite faces thereof opposing clips 72 and 73 having respectively inwardly bent teeth 74 and 75 and bent ends 76 adapted to be embedded in the plastic material. The opposite clips 72 and 73 are further held in place on the bracket cover by screws 77 that can be threaded into the plastic material of the cover.

It should be seen that upon the assembly of the bracket cover 70 over the flange metal bracket 31 that the teeth 74 and '75 of the respective clips 72 and 73 will have running engagement over the upper faces of the tapered horizontal flange runs of the bracket 31.

In FIGS. 13, 14 and 15, a plastic bracket cover 80 is provided with a larger bracket receiving opening 81 than in the other forms of the invention in which there is embedded a metal anchor strip 82 to which a tension spring 83 is hooked at 84 and which has at its opposite end a hook 85 adapted to engage behind the inner and upper corner of the bracket 31 as best shown in FIG. 13. This bracket 80 has horizontal and vertical runs for engagement with the underface of the shelf 30 and the wall surface 34 and once the hook 85 is fully engaged under the bracket corner the same being manipulated into place as illustrated in FIG. 15, and the bracket cover 80 positioned to enclose the bracket within the opening 81 the bracket 80 will be drawn into tight engagement with the shelf and wall by the tension spring 83.

In FIGS. 16 and 17, the wall bracket cover indicated generally at 86 is formed of separable parts 87 and 88 formed of plastic, metal or other material and provided with respectfully inwardly extending flanges 89 and 90 whose inner edges will abut, engage with one another and will be held by inwardly bent tong projections 91 of flange 90 entering recesses 92 and openings 93 in the flange 89 of the part 87 as clearly shown in FIG. 17.

In order to hold the assembled bracket 86 in place upon the bracket 31 the upper runs of the parts 87 and 88 are provided with inwardly bent projections 94 and 95 and inwardly bent vertical projections 96 and 97 which are extended under the horizontal and vertical flanges of the metal bracket 31 so as to thereby secure the assembled bracket 86 in place under the shelf and against the wall.

In FIG. 18 there is shown a slightly different bracket part 100 than that shown in FIG. 16- in which outwardly bent horizontal and vertical flanges 101, 102 are provided which are secured to the shelf and wall surface 'by screws placed through holes 103 and 104 in much the same manner as illustrated with the screw 36 of FIG. 1 in attaching the bracket cover 35 to the shelf and wall. This bracket cover part 100 is provided with an inwardly bent curved flange 105 with tong projections 106 thereon.

Referring now to FIGS. 19 and 20, there is shown a further form of a shell type bracket 108 formed of separable parts 109 and 110 having respectively inwardly extending flanges 111 and 112 whose edges engage along line 113 when the parts are joined together.

The forward edge of the bracket cover is rounded whereas the top and vertical parts of the flange are straight as indicated at 111' and 112', and can be located under the flanges of the metal bracket 31 when assembled thereover.

The rounded edge portion of the flange 111 of the part 109 is folded back on itself and forwardly to provide a slot or groove run 114 to receive a folded projection 115 of the flange 112 of part 110. It will thus be apparent that the bracket cover 108 is assembled by uniting their flange portions with one another and under the horizontal and vertical flanges of the metal bracket 31.

In FIG. 21, separable bracket cover parts 117 and 118 are constructed differently from the bracket cover parts 109 and 110 and by the manner in which the forward curved portion of its flanges 119 and 120 are assembled, each of these flange portions are provided with rolled back portions 121 and 122 respectively providing grooves into which a strip 123 is threaded to join these forward rounded flange portions of the parts 117 and 118 together in addition to their union with the metal flanges of the metal bracket 31 as seen in FIG. 20.

In FIG. 22, there is shown casing parts 125 and 126 having flanges 128 and 127 in which the same has with the construction of the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 but wherein the edges of the flanges are coupled differently. The flange 127 along its forward portion is rolled back outwardly of itself as indicated at 129 while the flange 128 is rolled back inwardly of itself and outwardly ofiset as indicated at 131 to provide for the interfitting of the portion of the flange along the forward face of the bracket cover.

In FIGS. 23 to 25, there is shown a still further and final form of the invention in which a metal bracket cover 132 may be formed of sheet material and is bent upon itself to provide a forward and inclined bight portion 133 and side faces 134 and 135. These side faces 134 and 135 provide for a top edge 136 to engage the underface of the shelf 30 and a vertical edge 137 for engaging the wall surface 34 when the wall bracket cover 132 covers the metal bracket 31.

In order to secure this bracket cover 132 in place the corners at the inner ends of the side portions 135 are pointed and inwardly bent to provide projections 138 and 139 as best seen in FIGS. 23 and 25 which-can book under the turned corner of the bracket flanges as indicated at 141 upon slightly springing the sides 134 and 135 over the metal bracket flanges so that the bracket cover is held in place upon the bracket 31.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a wall bracket cover to hide the bracket from view and to provide the bracket with an ornamental cover which can be of any color or shape externally and can conform to the architectural and ornamental decor of the room.

Various devices have been provided for supporting the wall bracket either by support from the bracket or from the wall and shelf surfaces and such that by the simplicity of making the assembly these bracket covers can be readily placed over wall brackets and hide their more or less hideous shapes and old fashioned styling and yet these same covers when they may get out of style can be replaced with other covers when the decor of the room is to be changed.

What is claimed is:

1. A wall bracket cover adapted to be fitted over a shelf bracket on a wall comprising a cover body having a horizontal run surface adapted to engage the underface of a shelf and a vertical run surface intersecting with the horizontal run surface and engageable with a wall surface, said cover body having a bracket seating opening open from the run surfaces and an inclined closed forward edge and means on the cover for making secure the body in place on the underface of the shelf and wall surface while enclosing the bracket within the bracket receiving opening in the horizontal and vertical runs of the body, said means for holding said bracket cover body in place including a magnetic device secured to the cover within the bracket receiving opening and having a permanent magnet engageable with the bracket flanges, said magnetic device including a member running with one of the runs of the bracket cover and embedded at one end in the cover material and the opposite end having a U-shaped magnet adapted to overlie the bracket and engage the respective flanges thereof to thereby secure the bracket cover in place over the bracket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,557,399 6/1951 Teetor 211-43X 2,659,169 11/1953 Brennan 248-206A 2,927,759 3/1960 Fischel 248-223 3,194,527 7/1965 Gruss 248-248X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,314,618 1/1962 France 248-224 0 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 248-206A, 235 

